Land Of Legends’ win in the seven-furlong, £30,000 Qatar Handicap was a first at the Qatar Goodwood Festival for jockey Callum Shepherd, who was brought up locally.
Land Of Legends, a three-year-old son on Iffraaj, was trained by Saeed Bin Suroor for owner Godolphin and beat Jack’s Point by a length and three-quarters at odds of 9/2.
Shepherd said: “I was slow away and you could tell instantly they had gone very quick. I was handy on him last time so this was certainly plan B, but I thought I’d try and come with one good run, which is exactly what he did. He picked up really nicely and hit the line well.
“He’s a progressive horse and I’m very fortunate to be able to ride him.
“It’s my first win at the Qatar Goodwood Festival. My family is from round here and I went to school down the road in Lancing, so it has been my favourite meeting since I was six or seven years old. I’m really pleased.”
IMPRESSIVE LAND OF LEGENDS A FIRST OF THE WEEK FOR SAEED BIN SUROOR
Saeed Bin Suroor numbers three victories in the Sussex Stakes among 22 wins at the Qatar Goodwood Festival, but in a season that has been relatively quiet domestically an impressive performance from the progressive Land Of Legends in the Qatar Handicap will have been satisfying too.
Bin Suroor was not present to see Land Of Legends (9/2) complete a hat-trick of wins by beating Jack’s Point by a length and three-quarters, for he is in the States, where he was due to saddle stable Thunder Snow in the G1 Whitney Stakes until the five-year old had to be scratched with an elevated temperature.
Tony Garth, representing him, said: “Land Of Legends is improving with every race and Callum (Shepherd) gave him a perfect ride. He was slowly away, but that suited him probably. He was nice and relaxed and won quite smoothly in the end. There’s hopefully more to come.”
4.50pm Qatar Handicap 7f
1 Land Of Legends (Godolphin) Saeed bin Suroor 3-9-03 Callum Shepherd 9/2
2 Jack’s Point (C L A Edginton) William Muir 3-8-13 Martin Dwyer 16/1
3 Warning Fire (Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed Al Maktoum) Mark Johnston 3-8-05 Joe Fanning 9/2
12 ran
Time: 1m 25.29s
Distances: 1¾, nk
Tote Win: £5.20 Places: £1.60, £4.50, £1.90 Exacta: £92.50 Trifecta: £532.00
Breeding: b c Iffraaj – Homily (Singspiel (IRE))
Breeder: Godolphin
11/4 Fav Marhaba Milliar (4th)
Saeed bin Suroor – 81st Goodwood winner (22nd at Qatar Goodwood Festival)
Callum Shepherd – 4th Goodwood winner (1st at Qatar Goodwood Festival)